Articles prepared from resin compositions having improved resistance to elevated temperatures as well as low dielectric loss are desirable for many applications. In particular, such articles are desirable for use in prepregs and laminates for printed circuit board (PCB) and semiconductor applications as industries head toward higher circuit densities, increased board thickness, lead free solders, higher temperature and higher frequency use environments.
Laminates, and particularly structural and electrical copper clad laminates, are generally manufactured by pressing, under elevated temperatures and pressures, various layers of partially cured prepregs and optionally copper sheeting. Prepregs are generally manufactured by impregnating a curable thermosettable epoxy resin composition into a porous substrate, such as a glass fiber mat, followed by processing at elevated temperatures to promote a partial cure of the epoxy resin in the mat to a “B-stage.” Complete cure of the epoxy resin impregnated in the glass fiber mat typically occurs during the lamination step when the prepreg layers are pressed under high pressure and elevated temperatures for a certain period of time.
While epoxy resin compositions are known to impart enhanced thermal properties for the manufacture of prepregs and laminates, such epoxy resin compositions are typically more difficult to process, more expensive to formulate, and may suffer from inferior performance capabilities for complex printed circuit board circuitry and for higher fabrication and usage temperatures.
In light of the above, there is a need in the art for resin compositions which may be used in preparing articles having improved thermal properties and low dielectric loss at high frequency and for processes to produce such articles.